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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Billy Wright, former footballer, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the EMI Recording Studios in St John's Wood, London, having been led to believe he was there to meet his wife - Joy Beverley - for a lunch date.

Billy, who was born in Ironbridge, Shropshire, began his association with Wolverhampton Wanderers FC in 1938 when he joined the groundstaff at the age of 14. Having signed as a professional, Billy was made team captain and led Wolves to victory in the First Division in 1954, 1958 and 1959 and the FA Cup in 1949.

Billy holds the record for the longest unbroken run in international football - he was the first player in the world to earn 100 international caps - and made a total of 105 appearances for England, captaining them a record 90 times, including during their campaigns at the 1950, 1954, and 1958 World Cup finals. Having retired from playing in August 1959, he became manager of England's youth team the following year.

Billy Wright was a subject of This Is Your Life on two occasions - surprised again by Michael Aspel in September 1989 at Thames Television's Teddington Studios.

programme details...

• Edition No: 163
• Subject No: 164
• Broadcast live: Mon 8 May 1961
• Broadcast time: 7.30-8.00pm
• Venue: BBC Television Theatre
• Series: 6
• Edition: 34

on the guest list...

• Dave King
• Albert Tye
• Annie Colley
• Arthur Colley
• Terry Springthorpe
• Ellen Mearden
• Jimmy Mullen
• Kenneth Kirkland
• Howard Jones
• Joy Beverley - wife
• Teddy Beverley - sister-in-law
• Babs Beverley - sister-in-law
• Michael Reed
• Ferenc Puskas
• Pip Wedge
• John Burgess
• Franklyn Boyd
• Ziggy Jackson
• Chas McDevitt
• Bill Parry
• Alec Forbes
• Jimmy Henney
• Bill Cotton
• Jack Gordon
Filmed tribute:
• Stan Cullis

related appearances...

• The Beverley Sisters - Dec 1969
• Kevin Keegan - Feb 1979
• Emlyn Hughes - Feb 1980
• Jackie Milburn - Dec 1981
• Tom Finney - Nov 1988
• Nat Lofthouse - Apr 1993

production team...

• Researcher: Liam Nolan
• Writer: John Sandilands
• Director: Michael Goodwin
• Producer: T Leslie Jackson

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

Billy Wright

second tribute

Match of the Day

tackling football's top names

Family Life

keeping it in the family

Life Second Time Around

surprised again!

The Beverley Sisters

Photographs of Billy Wright This Is Your Life